Open Arms
by Scotia Daniel
Summary: April O'Neil's bones ached and creaked within her as she walked among the gravestones of a local cemetery near her home in New York. She was getting too old for this, but despite her body's protests, she continued on her way. When was the last time she had visited the grave? She couldn't remember. Too long. That was the answer. Too long ago. She needed to make up for lost time.


April O'Neil's bones ached and creaked within her as she walked among the gravestones of a local cemetery near her home in New York. She was getting too old for this, but despite her body's protests, she continued on her way. There was nothing that would stop her from going on her journey, not even the decaying of her body.

Eventually she came to the part of the cemetery she was trying to find. It was part of the untouched plot where the trees and grass were still a bit on the wild side. It'd be cleaned up once the rest of the cemetery filled, but it was a perfect place for anyone to really be buried. The nearest gravestones were over a good yard or so away and gave her privacy from prying eyes.

April gazed down with a wrinkly smile at the stone in front of her. When was the last time she had visited the grave? She couldn't remember. Too long. That was the answer. Too long ago. It seemed as though time flew by when you were old and didn't have anything better to do with yourself other than play bingo and take cat naps all day.

"Hey there, Mikey. How's it going?"

April stared at the gravestone that had Michelangelo's name, birth and death date engraved in the stone. A picture of pizza had been etched into a corner. It was Raph's idea. They all knew Mikey would have loved that.

Michelangelo had lived until his sixties until he died of heart failure. Donatello said he was sure Mikey left without any pain. It was hard for all of them to adjust, but it was the reality of it. That people died. And that they were all old, it was a given.

April took out some comics and toys she had gained from a local store on her way there and placed them beside the previous gifts she had laid out before and moved on to the next grave.

"Yo, Raph. Miss ya, bud. Are ya kicking a lot of butt wherever you are?"

Raphael's name glistened in the morning light. Raphael had died a few years after Mikey. They weren't sure of the cause of death, but they had found him laying in what used to be Splinter's dojo. They naturally buried him next to Mikey when the time came. His Sais were placed in his hands and they all could have sworn they had seen a smile on his face before they covered him with dirt.

April took out a magazine on traditional Japanese weaponry and placed it beside his headstone. She could almost hear the excitement he would have had in his voice upon given the gift. 'Awesome! This is so sweet! I mean, a great gift coming from a soulless ginger like yourself.' The woman chuckled. She missed Raph so much. Life wasn't the same without his woman moved to the right, took out some white flowers and surrounded the next headstone with them.

"Hi, Leo. You keeping the others in line? Do you miss me?"

April could almost hear Leo's sweet voice. 'Miss you? Is that even a question? Of course we miss you! We'll never stop missing you! We have your spot open here when your time comes. We love you, April. Stay healthy and happy, okay?'

Leonardo had probably died in the saddest way of all of them. He lived until his seventies until he showed signs of losing his memory. Slowly but surely, he'd forget what he had said, the date, got his times goofed up and couldn't remember where he was or who those around him where. Donatello called it Alzheimer's disease. It had to do with neurons in the brain failing from age. So when Leo finally died, he had forgotten almost everything. But deep down, they all knew he remembered them somewhere in that mind of his. They could see it in his eyes. So when he passed away, it was for the best. Leo would have hated not knowing who everyone was for long.

April moved on to the next grave and took out some candles and incense. She placed the sticks in the holders she had set up a while ago and lit them. The scent of cherry blossoms filled the air and the woman closed her eyes, inhaling the aroma.

"Konnichiwa, Sensei. I hope you're doing well. I miss your wisdom and presence. Meditation isn't the same without you. I tried showing Lisa how to concentrate like you, but Mikey keeps showing up in her. You would have loved her. You'd be so proud of your great granddaughter..."

April opened her eyes. It's true. Splinter would have loved Lisa. She had just turned six but already she was full of wisdom and energy. Splinter would have adored her in every possible way. Lisa reminded April of Splinter, to be honest. The way she set her mouth when she was disappointed to how she tilted her head to think of a response to a question was very Splinter-like. It made her miss the old rat.

Splinter had passed away twenty years ago. He had been very old and secluded himself until his death day. Not to be mean or alone in a harsh sense, but it was how he wanted to go. In peace and where his family didn't have to suffer seeing him like that. They chose the spot there in the cemetery to burry him knowing he would have loved the garden like features of that part of the plot of land. It was very Shinto like in the way the flowers and trees were arranged. Splinter would have loved it. April bowed and moved on to the final gravestone.

"Hello, Donatello. It's been a while."

The woman smiled down at the grave, feeling her face wrinkle up even more from age and smiling. She supposed she could be crying. This was a sad scene, after all. A little old lady talking to a grave of her dead beloved...how was that not sad?

April took out flowers and a teddy bear from her bag and placed it around the grave. The plaque already had numerous flowers and cards and gifts surrounding it, but the woman didn't care. She'd continue to pile on the gifts until she no longer could.

Donatello had left this world five years prior. He had lived a long life and she supposed it wasn't shocking for him to die in his seventies. Even though he was more human than anything, he still had the animal aspect of him where he'd live a shorter life, but he lived a good one at that.

The ninja had died peacefully in his sleep while he took his usual nap at home. April remembered coming home that day with groceries, ascending up the stairs to the study and finding his body in his favorite rocking chair. He was facing the sun and he had never looked more peaceful in his life. So when he died, of course April was devastated...but the fact that he left this life on good terms made her happy. She couldn't have asked for anything better for her husband.

April sighed and stood up straight. She was the last of her family, and probably would be alive for another few more years or so. She had been blessed to have had a family with Donatello, had the support and love from her mutant brothers and found a father in Splinter when her own was held hostage by the Kraang.

Now she was blessed to experience having grandchildren and see them grow up. She loved finding the mutant features in them that reminded her of those she loved buried six feet under in the cemetery. She wished they could have all met, but that was life for you. Especially life with people who wouldn't have as long of a lifespan as yourself.

April turned away from the graves and began to walk. It was a new day and she had to continue to live for her offspring and her grandchildren. She was in good health and spirit and she knew that the mutants she grew up with were watching over her somewhere. And when her time to move on comes, she knew they'll be waiting there for her with pizza, love, and open arms.


End file.
